Labor & Birth

How to Enjoy Your Pregnancy

By Juliet Myfanwy Johnson

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You spent all your time trying to get pregnant or dreaming about what getting pregnant would be like. Now here you are, pregnant and on the long countdown to your baby's arrival. Here are some tips to help enjoy each moment of this wonderful- and ... more »

How to Handle Back Pain in Labor

By Heidi Gonzales

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Back pain in labor is extremely common. Many women experience it from early labor through delivery, while some never experience it at all. Back pain can be extremely uncomfortable, and unlike contractions, it may continue to be painful throughout ... more »

How to Heal After a Cesarean

By AmyU

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After a cesarean there are a few things you can do to heal quickly... more »

How to Make Placenta Prints

By eHow Parenting Editor

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A great way to remember your birth is to create placenta prints. The shape of a placenta is very interesting, mimicking a tree or, according to some people, mimicking the Tree of Life. You can create this shape and some wall art by making ... more »

How to Measure Cervical Progress in Labor

By Heidi Gonzales

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In labor, we seem to focus on just one factor when it comes to progression: the dilation of the cervix. We tend to believe that each time the doctor checks the cervix, it should be two or three centimeters further and then we are extremely ... more »

How to Plan a Home Birth

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Giving birth at home is, for many women, a way to make sure they're comfortable and in control during labor and delivery... more »

How to Plan a Water Birth

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Water births, say advocates, make labor less painful for the mother and ease an infant's transition into the world outside the womb... more »

How to Prepare a Birth Plan

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Prepared by parents before a baby's due date, a written birth plan helps couples think through how they'd like labor and delivery to proceed... more »

How to Prepare the Home for a Home-birth

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Home-birth is an intimate way to bring your new baby into the world, surrounded by family and friends who love her. Making the commitment to home-birth requires a lot of preparation, both mentally and physically. Make sure your home is prepared ... more »

How to Use A Back-to-Front Standing Comfort Position in Labor

By Heidi Gonzales

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Standing comfort positions in labor are essential for good movement, laboring, and positioning of the baby. Many women really love standing positions because it allows them to freely rock their hips and use gravity to their advantage. This ... more »

How to Write Your Own Labor Relaxation Script

By Heidi Gonzales

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Many women in labor enjoy relaxing with a guided script. Although there are many programs available that have scripts already written, sometimes it is easier for a mom to relax to her own script. By writing her own script, she can relax to the ... more »

How to Induce Labor with Acupressure

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Acupressure involves applying pressure using your fingers and thumbs on specific points. Using acupressure is a natural way to induce labor by helping the cervix to ripen and dilate. This is a completely safe way to induce labor for both mother ... more »

How to Jump-Start Labor

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Sometimes labor must be induced. Under the careful supervision of a health care provider, there are some natural and synthetic practices that may give labor a jump-start. Follow these steps to help induce labor safely... more »

How to Know if You Are in Labor

By eHow Parenting Editor

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The onset of labor varies from woman to woman, but there are some clear markers that will let you know the time has come... more »

How to Make an Herb Bath for Postpartum Moms

By Heidi Gonzales

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Herb baths have been used for centuries to treat many illnesses. They have also been used to promote healing. A postpartum herb bath is a combination of many gentle herbs used to promote healing for bruised and torn perineum tissues after a ... more »

How to naturally induce labor

By Natalie Hernandez

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During the duration of your pregnancy you are anticipating the arrival of your baby. The last month of your pregnancy can seem to drag on forever! As long as you are very close to your due date and the doctor has assured you that there are no ... more »

How to Push During Labor

By meatloafkend

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Labor and birth is something that comes naturally to women. Many times the pushing stage during labor is the most difficult part. Although the female body is designed to birth a baby, sometimes they don't always know the most effective way to ... more »

How to Choose a Midwife

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Though most births in the United States are attended by physicians, more and more women are choosing to have midwives, who specialize in personalized care and low-technology births, help them through labor and delivery... more »

How to Induce Heavy Labor After Beginning Stages of Labor

By ClCornwell

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Some women have difficulty moving from mild labor to heavy labor. One of the easiest and safest methods of moving labor is warm water... more »

How to Write Your Birth Plan

By AmyU

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A birth plan is a great way to discuss what you hope to have happen during your labor and delivery. This is a general form that includes things that are meaningful to you and would help ease your mind during a trying time. When making your birth ... more »

How to Prepare for Labor

By eHow Parenting Editor

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Millions of women have gone through labor successfully (some more than once), and so will you. Here are some tips to help you get ready for the big day... more »

How to Avoid a C-Section

By Lynn Griesemer

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Modern inventions allow us to lead busier and more complicated lives. Most of us are very hurried with our activities and responsibilities. We seek to control our chaotic lives by scheduling and planning. The prevalence of C-sections is an ... more »

How to Avoid Being Induced

By Lynn Griesemer

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The rate of induction (medically initiating the onset of labor) has doubled in the last ten years and it’s commonly agreed upon by professionals that there is a direct link between patients who receive C-sections and patients who are induced. ... more »

How to Have a Water Birth

By eHow Parenting Editor

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A baby grows and develops in the aqueous environment of the mother's womb. Some birthing experts believe that there is less delivery trauma for a baby born into water... more »

How to Induce Labor Naturally

By eHow Parenting Editor

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For months, you've been counting down to the big day: your due date. Now, the date has come and gone. You're more pregnant than ever. An overdue pregnancy can be frustrating and uncomfortable for the mom-to-be. If this is you, you're likely in ... more »

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